Recent reports on youth spending should come as good news to parents everywhere: it appears that teens have become thriftier in their shopping habits. Unlike the '80s and '90s that sparked "free spending" among juniors, the new millennium has spawned an unlikely new breed of teenager: the bargain shopper.

There has been a measurable shift in the way teens are spending their money. According to Teen Research Unlimited (TRU), a Chicago-based consulting group, overall teen spending is expected to fall a 3.4 percent this year, to $169 billion, from $175 billion in 2003. The change has industry analysts searching for reasons that might explain the new frugality of youth shoppers.

According to retailers and vendors polled by Footwear News, teen shoppers are now hunting for lower-priced fashion items, especially footwear. Retailers are seeing a continued appetite for lower-priced, retro sneakers, such as inexpensive Converse shoes. Vintage-inspired sneakers are cheaper to produce, and vendors know there are pricing limits on such items since most retro styles are composed of little more than a rubber sole and a plain, old-school-style upper.

Teen girls are also going for the lower-priced sneakers. Nike is still No. 1, but it is down 30 percent from last year, while lower-priced, cool brands like Converse, Etnies, DC, and K-Swiss, collectively, have doubled in popularity.